Updates | Durham College

Academic Bargaining UpdateJanuary 8, 2025 at 8:33 a.m.

On January 7, Ontario’s 24 colleges and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), representing full-time and partial-load academic faculty, librarians, and counsellors, reached an agreement to enter into binding arbitration. This process involves a neutral third party resolving the dispute between the two sides. As a result, classes, activities, and events will continue as scheduled, and no strike action will take place.

Academic Bargaining UpdateJanuary 5, 2025 at 4:10 p.m.

On Friday, January 3, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), which represents full-time and partial load academic faculty, librarians and counsellors at all 24 Ontario colleges, delivered the five days’ notice of potential strike action commencing Thursday, January 9. This means the union is legally positioned to take labour action, including work-to-rule and partial or full work stoppage. At this time, we are not aware of what steps they will take. Mediation sessions between the College Employer Council (CEC) and OPSEU remain scheduled for Monday, January 6, and Tuesday, January 7, and we continue to hope for a positive outcome for a new collective agreement through the bargaining process.

Academic Bargaining UpdateDecember 19, 2024 at 8:41 a.m.

On Wednesday, December 18, the Ministry of Labour issued a No Board Report, which was formally requested by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU). With the issue of this report, a 16-day countdown begins, and, as of January 4, 2025, OPSEU will be in a position to initiate labour action. Before any labour action can begin, OPSEU is required to provide Colleges with five days’ notice. This has not yet happened. If notice is given by the union, further information will be shared with students and employees through email, social media, mobile app, and our Academic Bargaining website. Mediation sessions between the College Employer Council (CEC) and OPSEU remain scheduled for Monday, January 6, and Tuesday, January 7, 2025.

Academic Bargaining UpdateDecember 12, 2024 at 4:58 p.m.

On Thursday, December 12, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) formally requested a No Board Report from the Ministry of Labour. This request signifies that negotiations have not yet resulted in an agreement, and it triggers a formal process under the Labour Relations Act. Once the Ministry of Labour issues the No Board Report, a 16-day countdown begins. At the end of this period, OPSEU would be in a legal position to initiate a work stoppage, such as a strike. Mediation sessions between the College Employer Council (CEC) and OPSEU remain scheduled for Monday, January 6, and Tuesday, January 7, 2025.

Academic Bargaining UpdateDecember 9, 2024 at 1:24 p.m.

The College Employer Council (CEC) and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) met for non-binding mediation between Friday, December 6 and Sunday, December 8. Mediation is scheduled to continue on Monday, January 6 and Tuesday, January 7, 2025. As was previously communicated, there will be no strike or labour action in the fall semester.

Academic Bargaining UpdateNovember 7, 2024 at 1:58 p.m.

On November 6, the College Employer Council (CEC) and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) mutually agreed to move to non-binding mediation between December 6 and 8, 2024. The parties have agreed that neither will ask for a no-board report or escalate job action before or during mediation. Based on legislative requirements, this means a strike cannot occur in the fall semester.

Update on Academic BargainingOctober 18, 2024 at 6:04 p.m.

As you may be aware, the College Employer Council (CEC) and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union CAAT-A (OPSEU), which represents full-time and partial load academic faculty, librarians, and counsellors at all 24 Ontario colleges, are negotiating a new collective agreement. This agreement, which defines their terms of employment, expired on September 30, 2024.

Formal negotiations between the parties started in July. In October, the OPSEU bargaining team requested conciliation — a process where the parties seek to reach a settlement with the assistance of a conciliator, appointed by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development — and a strike vote. On October 18, academic employees at Ontario colleges voted in support of strike action. While this vote means that the union has a strike mandate, both parties remain in conciliation and other conditions need to be met before the union is in a position to call a strike. With conciliation still underway, classes, labs and campus operations remain unaffected.

What you need to know:

At this time, college business continues as usual. All classes, activities and events remain unaffected.
Durham College remains hopeful that a settlement will be reached between OPSEU and the CEC.
No Ontario college student has ever lost their academic year because of a work stoppage.
We will continue to share information and updates with you via email as well as through Durham College’s Academic Bargaining webpage.

For collective bargaining details visit: